Use USB devices of another computer over the network as if they were plugged in locally.
Download: Windows 10 / 11 · Linux (Debian, Ubuntu) · all versions – then see Install.
Your audio interface hangs on the Windows PC, but you want to record on the Linux PC? With USB-IP-Bridge the Linux PC takes it over the network, and gives it back when you are done. It works with audio and MIDI interfaces, cameras, drawing tablets, synthesizers, drives and most other USB devices.
- Runs as a background service on every computer; computers in the local network find each other.
- A simple app: share a device, give it to another computer, take it back.
- Paired computers only: computers are paired once with a 6-digit code; the connection between them is encrypted.
- Built on USB/IP: on Linux the kernel's own drivers do the work, on Windows signed drivers (usbipd-win, usbip-win2).
Status: v0.2.0. Every computer can share its devices and use those of others, between Windows and Linux in all directions. It is used daily with a Behringer XR18 (18×18 audio, full duplex, ~26 ms round trip over wired Ethernet) and tested with MIDI interfaces, webcams, a drawing tablet, a synthesizer, headsets, a mouse, USB sticks and disks. Expect rough edges.
| Platform | Share its devices | Use devices of others |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 10 / 11, x64 (tested on 11) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Linux x64 with systemd (tested on Ubuntu 24.04) | ✅ | ✅ |
| macOS, Android | later | later |
Download the installer from the releases.
Windows: run USB-IP-Bridge_0.2.0_x64-setup.exe. It installs the app, the background
service and firewall rules for private networks. For its USB drivers it also installs
usbipd-win (to share devices) and
usbip-win2 (to use devices of other computers),
unless they are already there.
Linux (Debian, Ubuntu and derivatives):
sudo apt install ./USB-IP-Bridge_0.2.0_amd64.debThis installs the app (menu entry "USB-IP-Bridge"), the service, the USB/IP kernel modules and a firewall rule (ufw) for other computers.
- Install USB-IP-Bridge on every computer that should share or use devices.
- Open the app. The other computers appear on the left (in the same local network; others can be added by name or address).
- Pair the computers once: select the other computer, choose Pair… and type the code shown on this computer into the app on the other computer.
- On the computer the device is plugged into, select it and choose Give to … (or Share). On the other computer, select the shared device and choose Use here. Give back / Take back returns it.
For programs that need a device only while they run, the command line can bring it and give it back afterwards:
usbipb run --device 1397:00d4 -- my-daw- A USB device can only be used by one computer at a time. While another computer uses it, it is gone on its own computer.
- The network matters: audio interfaces and cameras want a wired connection (Gigabit recommended); Wi-Fi works for MIDI, tablets and the like.
- Programs that keep a device open (for example a vendor's control panel, or a recording) prevent sharing it. On Windows the app offers to close them and starts them again when the device is back; on Linux it names the program.
- Keyboards, mice, network adapters and Bluetooth adapters are locked automatically, so they are not given away by accident. Right-click a device to lock or unlock it.
- Windows: the network has to be set to private (Settings → Network → Properties); in a public network the computers do not find each other.
- Only pair computers that belong to you.
- The data on the USB/IP connection itself is not encrypted (only paired computers are accepted); use it in your own network, or over a VPN between networks.
usbipb panel opens an interactive panel in the terminal (plain ASCII, also over SSH) with
the same functions as the app.
usbipb list | status | attach [N] | detach [N] | share/unshare VID:PID | pair COMPUTER | pair-answer ID CODE | unpair COMPUTER | run [--device D] -- PROGRAM
Configuration (optional): C:\ProgramData\USB-IP-Bridge\config.toml on Windows,
/etc/usb-ip-bridge/config.toml on Linux; see packaging/examples.
Windows: Settings → Apps → USB-IP-Bridge → Uninstall (also removes usbipd-win and
usbip-win2 if they came with USB-IP-Bridge). Linux: sudo apt remove usb-ip-bridge
(purge also removes the key and the list of paired computers).
Rust (stable), Node.js (Windows, for the Tauri CLI) or cargo install tauri-cli (Linux), and
on Linux the WebKitGTK development files (libwebkit2gtk-4.1-dev).
cd gui
npx tauri build # Windows: setup program in target/release/bundle/nsis
cargo tauri build # Linux: .deb in target/release/bundle/deb- CHANGELOG.md
- PLAN.md – design and roadmap (German)
- THIRD-PARTY.md – components and their licenses